Automatic sequential voicing

ABSTRACT

System for sounding two organ voices and/or footages reiteratively in alternation. Several embodiments are provided as follows: 1. Tone is applied via a key switch to two tone color filters in parallel and outputs of the filters are applied in alternation to a loudspeaker or to separate loudspeakers. 2. Two footages are applied to distinct tone color filters and the outputs of these applied reiteratively in alternation to a loudspeaker or to separate loudspeakers. 3. Two footages of the same tone color are applied reiteratively in alternation to a loudspeaker or to separate loudspeakers. 4. Three or more tones are applied in sequence via different tone color filters to a loudspeaker. 5. Solo tones proceed via one tone filter so long as pedal notes are not called for. When pedal note is played solo tone proceeds via a different tone filter.

United States Patent Bunger The portion of the term of this patent subsequent to Dec. 22, 1987,

has been disclaimed.

[22] Filed: Oct. 27, 1970 [21] Appl. No.: 84,301

Related US. Application Data [62] Division of Ser. No. 664,745, Aug. 31, 1967,

Pat. No. 3,549,777.

[52] US. Cl. ..84/1.03, 84/1. 19, 84/l.24

[51] Int. Cl. ..Gl0h l/02 [58] .Field of Search ..84/l.01, 1.03, 1.17, 1.24,

84/DIG. 22, DIG. 23

[451 *Oct. 3, 1972 Primary Examiner-Lewis H. Myers Assistant Examiner-U. Weldon Attorney-W. I-l. Breunig and Hurvitz & Rose ABSTRACT System for sounding two organ voices and/or footages reiteratively in alternation. Several embodiments are provided as follows:

1. Tone is applied via a key switch to two tone color filters in parallel and outputs of the filters are applied in alternation to a loudspeaker or to separate loudspeakers.

2. Two footages are applied to distinct tone color filters and the outputs of these applied reiteratively in alternation to a loudspeaker or to separate loudspeakers.

3. Two footages of the same tone color are applied reiteratively in alternation to a loudspeaker or to separate loudspeakers.

[ References Cited 4. Three or more tones are applied in sequence via UNITED STATES PATENTS different tone color filters to a loudspeaker. I

5. Solo tones proceed via one tone filter so long as 3,549,777 12/1970 Bunger ..84/l.2l4 X pedal notes are not called for. when pedal note is 21332;: z played solo tone proceeds via a dilferent tone filter. 3:567:838 3/ 1971 Tennes et al. ..84/l.0l 8 Claims, 8 Drawing Figures y CLARlNET 17 40 6Q 52 "'77 m T 11 DET. F SOLO V SAXOPHONE 1713 4L 7 i g GATE o AUTOMATIC SEQUENTIAL vorcmo CROSS-REFERENCE This application is a division of parent application Ser. No. 664,745, entitled ELECTRONIC MUSICAL INSTRUMENT SYSTEM FOR SOUNDING VOICES REITERATIVELY IN ALTERNATION, filed Aug.

3 l 1967 now US. Pat. No. 3,549,777 granted Dec. 22, 1970.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION It is well known to provide iterative sounding of notes played by electronic organs. Systems for iteratively processing tones have not heretofore involved modification of tone color iteratively, nor the iterative transfer of notes from one speaker to another, either concurrently with tone color transfer or without, as is accomplished by the present invention.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a system according to the invention providing alternating voices of the same footage;

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a modification of the system of FIG. 1, providing alternating voices of different footages;

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of a modification of the system of FIGS. 1 and 2, providing alternate footages of the same voicing;

FIG. 4 is a schematic circuit diagram of a bistable gate used in the iteration systems of FIGS. 1-3;

FIG. 5 is a block diagram of a modification of the system of FIG. 1, having provision for stereophonic effects;

FIG. 6 is a block diagram of a system for providing a cyclic succession of three voices;

FIG. 7 is a block diagram of a system for providing and for transferring voicing whenever a pedal is depressed;

FIG. 8 is a block diagram of a system for providing alternating voices of different footage, with or without stereophonic effects.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Identical parts in the several figures are identified by the same reference numerals, to obviate repetitious description.

In FIG. 1, 10 is a tone oscillator and 11 is another tone oscillator, these being of the same footage. Key switches 12 and 13 connect oscillators 10 and 11 to a common bus 14, which is connected jointly to tone color filters A and B. For example, filter A may provide a tibia voice and filter B a saxophone voice. Or, filter A may provide a clarinet voice and filter B an oboe voice. Filters A and B are connected to alternate inputs l5, 16 of an alternating gating circuit 17, which is controlled by a reiteration oscillator 18, which provides gating signals to cause tones from filters A and B to appear in alternation at output bus 19. That bus is connected by tab switch 20 to amplifiers 21 and loudspeakers 22.

On actuating key switch 12, for example, and assuming oscillator 10 to generate an A tone, this tone might sound reiteratively as a tibia and as a saxophone, in altemation.

The system of FIG. 2 is similar to the system of FIG. 1 except in that generators 10a and 10b are of the same nomenclature, but different footages.

In the system of FIG. 3, tones of the same nomenclature but different footages are applied by ganged key switches 23, to alternating gating circuit 17, the output of which proceeds to a single filter A and thence eventually to loud speaker 22. Accordingly, actuation of key switch 23 causes iterative alternative sounding of the same voice in two different footages.

FIG. 4 illustrates schematically a reiterative oscillator and associated gates, for use in the several systems of the invention.

Two transistors T1 and T2 are employed in the multivibrator MV and two FETs, F1 and F2, as gates. The multivibrator MV employs NPN transistors having emitters which can be selectively connected, via ON- OFF switch 25, to ground or to V. The collectors are connected by equal resistances 27, 28 to ground, via lead 30.

Accordingly, when switch 25 is in OFF position the multivibrator MV is inoperative, and when connected in the ON condition to V, it oscillates.

The bases of transistors T1 and T2 are connected via resistances 31 and 32 to the slider 33 of a voltage divider 34. Position of the slider establishes dc bias of T1 and T2 and therefore frequency of oscillation, which may be variable in the range 3. to 3. cps, for example only. The collector of T1 is capacitively coupled to the base of T2, and the collector of T2 to the base of T1, in conventional fashion, to provide oscillations. The collectors of T1 and T2 then provide control points which proceed in alternation from ground to negative potential as MV oscillates. The FETs F l and F2 are conductive when their gates are referenced to ground. When switch 25 is in OFF condition both gates are referenced to ground, both FETs are conductive, and tone from both filters A and B can be heard. If desired the individual filters may be provided with stop tabs, as 40, 41 in FIG. 1, to enable selection, and also to enable single tone reiteration, i.e. sounding of one tone followed by a silent period, for each cycle of oscillator 18. This expedient is applicable to all Figures of the drawings.

The collectors of T1 and T2 are connected to ground via resistances 27, 50, 51, and filter capacitors 52, 53 are provided for smoothing purposes and to remove high frequency noise. The drain terminal D of FET F1 is connected to filter A, in FIG. 1 for example, and the drain terminal D of FET F2 to filter B. The source terminals S are jointly connected to amplifiers 21.

FIG. 5 parallels FIG. 1, except in that the outputs of gates A and B proceed, respectively, to separate amplifiers 60, 61 and loudspeakers 62, 63. Accordingly, tones of diverse color sound via different loudspeakers,

5, a single tone oscillator 65 and a single key switch 66,

provide alternate reiteration of tones of different footages, by interposing a frequency divider stage 67 between oscillator 65 and gate 17a. Tone filtering may be interposed following gates 17a and 17b, which may provide the same or different tone colors for the two gate conditions.

In the system of FIG. 7, a flip flop 70 may be employed, which retains one of the gates 17a, 17b normally conductive and the other non-conductive. On closure of a pedal key switch 71, pedal tone from oscillator 76 is detected in detector 77 and changes the state of flip flop 70, which reverses the status of the gates 17a, 17b. Thereby, for example, clarinet tone may be heard as long as a pedal is not depressed, but saxophone when it is. In the alternative, the flip-flop 70 may be a free running oscillator, as 18 in FIG. 5, which is cut off when a pedal switch is operated, to sound both tones simultaneously at that time, but the tones only in alternation while the pedal key switch is not closed. The alternate tones, in FIG. 7, can sound via different speakers, or both tones can sound via both speakers.

In the system of FIG. 6, three tone oscillators Q1, Q2, and Q3 are provided. These proceed jointly to three different tone color filters A, B and C., and thence via three gates G1, G2, G3 to tab switches T51, T82 and T83, and thence to amplifiers 21 and loudspeaker 22. The gates may be FET gates, as in FIG. 4 of filters, for example, one would then hear sequences of three tones, each consisting of saxophone, clarinet, saxophone. If the filters were all different, the sequence might be clarinet, saxophone, oboe, for example.

The system of FIG. 5 may be modified to use only one filter, or two identical filters, so that the reiteration is not one of tone but only that of directivity, as the separate speakers sound in alternation. Various additional modifications of the present system will suggest themselves to one skilled in the art, within the basic concept of providing alternate tones reiteratively, or with different directivities, or both, or of providing the same tone with different directities, reiteratively.

While the present invention has been shown and described with reference to certain preferred embodiments thereof, it will be clear that various changes and modifications may be resorted to without departing from the true spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

lclaim:

1. In an electronic organ system,

means for generating at least three different tone signals on three separate buses,

a separate normally non-conductive gate connected to each of said buses for transferring signal on said bus,

means generating reiterative sequences of at least three gating pulses per sequence,

means applying the separate pulses of each sequence to render conductive separate ones of said gates, and

a loudspeaker system responsive via separate paths to all tone signals passed by said gates.

2. The combination according to claim 1, wherein said means for generating gating pulses is a re-entrant counter.

3. The combination according to claim 1, wherein is included means for selectively opening said paths.

4. In an electronic organ system,

a source of tone signal,

a first key switch,

gate means,

a second key switch,

aloudspeaker,

means connected to said first key switch and responsive to actuation of only said first key switch for transferring tone signal controlled by said source to said loudspeaker via said gate means, and

means connected to said second key switch and responsive to operation of said second key switch for disabling said gate means.

5. An electronic organ having key switches for the notes of the organ, a tone signal source operatively associated with each of said key switches, a common bus, means responsive to closure of any of said key switches for connecting the operatively associated signal source to said common bus, at least two diverse tone color filters connected in parallel to said common bus, means for electroacoustically transducing the outputs of said tone color filters, and means including a ring counter commutator for reiteratively connecting the tone color filters to said means for transducing (in time alteration with respect to each other.

6. In an electronic organ, a plurality of tone signal sources, output means, a first tone color filter, a second tone color filter, a first normally non-conductive gate in series with one of said tone signal sources and said first tone color filter, a second normally non-conductive gate in series with another of said tone signal sources and said second tone color filter, key switches for individually selectively connecting said tone signal sources in cascade with said tone color filters, a flipflop connected to said gates for rendering said gates conductive in alternation according to the state of said flip-flop, pedal key switches, and means responsive to closure of any of said pedal key switches for transferring the state of said flip-flop from one state to another.

' 7. In an electronic organ, a tone signal source, a tone signal bus, a key switch for at will connecting said tone signal source to said bus, at least three diverse tone color filters connected in parallel to said bus, loudspeaker means, and ring counter commutator means including a gate in series with each of said tone color filters for transferring signal from said filters in time sequence to said loudspeaker means.

8. In an electronic organ, a source of tone signal, a bus, a key switch for connecting said source of tone signal to said bus, parallel paths extending from said bus, a divide by two circuit connected in one only of said paths to provide a frequency divided output, loudspeaker means, and means for reiteratively commutating the signals in said paths including said frequency divided output to said loudspeaker means in time 5 sequence. 

1. In an electronic organ system, means for generating at least three different tone signals on three separate buses, a separate normally non-conductive gate connected to each of said buses for transferring signal on said bus, means generating reiterative sequences of at least three gating pulses per sequence, means applying the separate pulses of each sequence to render conductive separate ones of said gates, and a loudspeaker system responsive via separate paths to all tone signals passed by said gates.
 2. The combination according to claim 1, wherein said means for generating gating pulses is a re-entrant counter.
 3. The combination according to claim 1, wherein is included means for selectively opening said paths.
 4. In an electronic organ system, a source of tone signal, a first key switch, gate means, a second key switch, a loudspeaker, means connected to said first key switch and responsive to actuatiOn of only said first key switch for transferring tone signal controlled by said source to said loudspeaker via said gate means, and means connected to said second key switch and responsive to operation of said second key switch for disabling said gate means.
 5. An electronic organ having key switches for the notes of the organ, a tone signal source operatively associated with each of said key switches, a common bus, means responsive to closure of any of said key switches for connecting the operatively associated signal source to said common bus, at least two diverse tone color filters connected in parallel to said common bus, means for electroacoustically transducing the outputs of said tone color filters, and means including a ring counter commutator for reiteratively connecting the tone color filters to said means for transducing (in time alteration with respect to each other.
 6. In an electronic organ, a plurality of tone signal sources, output means, a first tone color filter, a second tone color filter, a first normally non-conductive gate in series with one of said tone signal sources and said first tone color filter, a second normally non-conductive gate in series with another of said tone signal sources and said second tone color filter, key switches for individually selectively connecting said tone signal sources in cascade with said tone color filters, a flip-flop connected to said gates for rendering said gates conductive in alternation according to the state of said flip-flop, pedal key switches, and means responsive to closure of any of said pedal key switches for transferring the state of said flip-flop from one state to another.
 7. In an electronic organ, a tone signal source, a tone signal bus, a key switch for at will connecting said tone signal source to said bus, at least three diverse tone color filters connected in parallel to said bus, loudspeaker means, and ring counter commutator means including a gate in series with each of said tone color filters for transferring signal from said filters in time sequence to said loudspeaker means.
 8. In an electronic organ, a source of tone signal, a bus, a key switch for connecting said source of tone signal to said bus, parallel paths extending from said bus, a divide by two circuit connected in one only of said paths to provide a frequency divided output, loudspeaker means, and means for reiteratively commutating the signals in said paths including said frequency divided output to said loudspeaker means in time sequence. 